David Hume on the posts of honour

Were MOLIERE and CORNEILLE to bring upon the stage at present their
early productions, which were formerly so well received, it would
discourage the young poets, to see the indifference and disdain of the
public. The ignorance of the age alone could have given admission to
the Prince of TYRE; it is to that we owe the Moor: Had
Every man in his humour been rejected, we had never seen
VOLPONE.

That's from Hume's Of The Rise and Progress of the Arts and Sciences.  I discuss related points in my What Price Fame?  The proximate pointer is from Dan Klein.